The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes

 

 Then they came again to Jerusalem.  And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

 

 Then He began to speak to them in parables:  "A men planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?  He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.  Have you not even read this Scripture:

'The stone which the builders rejected 

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD'S doing, 

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them.  So they left Him and went away.  

 

- Mark 11:27—12:12 

 

Yesterday we read that, when Jesus and the disciples had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.  So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.  Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

 

  Then they came again to Jerusalem.  And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."   Here is the great concern of the religious leaders:  authority.  Since Christ is not a Levitical priest, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders challenge His authority to cleanse the temple (see yesterday's reading, above).  But Christ is careful not to reveal Himself to scoffers.  So He confounds them with a different question about John.  Both the elders' question and Christ's question require the same answer, my study Bible comments, and therefore would lead a person to confess that Jesus has come from heaven.  By not answering them directly, my study Bible notes, Christ teaches us not to answer people who come asking about holy things with a malicious intent.  

 

 Then He began to speak to them in parables:  "A men planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated.  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?  He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them.  So they left Him and went away.  In this parable, my study Bible explains, the man represents God the Father, and the vineyard refers to God's people.  The vinedressers are the religious leaders who were entrusted to care for the people.  Each servant sent by the owner stands for an Old Testament prophet who comes to call people back to God, while the one son, his beloved is a reference to Christ Himself.  When the Son is killed and cast out of the vineyard it may be understood various ways.  Christ was killed outside of Jerusalem, and He was crucified by foreign soldiers rather than those of His own "vineyard."  He was cast out by the religious leaders and rejected at His trial before Pilate.  The others who will later receive the vineyard are the Gentiles brought into the Church.  Jesus quotes Scripture from Psalm 118:22-23.

 

It's interesting to consider Christ's use of Scripture here, after He tells the parable of the Wicked Vinedressers.   Clearly the religious leaders -- as the text of the Gospel tells us -- understand that Jesus has told this parable against them.  But in quoting these verses from Psalm 118, Jesus is doing more.  He is the fulfillment of the Scripture; He is the stone which the builders rejected, and which will moreover become the chief cornerstone.  That is, He is the One who will determine the foundation of an entirely new "building" and one which will replace the old, although having been rejected by the builders.  In this sense, the Psalm forms a kind of prophecy, to be fulfilled through the spiritual history of the people, and we are meant to understand it this way.  In fact, our reading for today has many overtones of prophecy in it, as it begins by Jesus using the image of John the Baptist to demand an accountability on the part of the chief priests, scribes, and elders who question Him about His authority in the temple.   The suggestion of John the Baptist as a person of authority to practice his baptism comes from Jesus as a reminder to these religious leaders of the authority of a prophet.  John the Baptist was recognized throughout the Jewish communities as a holy man and treated with that kind of reverence.  Like the Old Testament prophets before him, he "spoke truth to power" as the modern saying goes, and was eventually martyred for criticizing the marriage of King Herod Antipas for being outside of Jewish law.  So the figure of John -- in the context of the Church -- comes to us as the last and greatest in the long line of the Old Testament prophets.  And among the people of his own time, he was widely recognized for his holiness, as people came from all over the Jewish territories for his baptism.  He is the one whom the Church calls the Forerunner, because he himself was also the fulfillment of prophecy.   When St. John the Baptist appears in the Gospels, it is presented in fulfillment of earlier prophecy by Malachi and Isaiah.  St. Mark's Gospel begins, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the Prophets: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.' 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight" ' " (Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3).  So, when Jesus asks where the authority for John's ministry of baptism came from, He is asking the religious leaders to consider the authority of God's grace by whom gifts of prophecy come.  These leaders, whether or not they accepted John, would not speak up before the people who listen, for the people all regarded John with the authority of a holy figure.  So John the Baptist, last in the line of Old Testament prophets, the prophets who came before him (and whose prophecies he fulfilled), all the prophets suggested in the parable of the vinedressers as the prophets killed before John by those in the same positions of authority these men hold to whom Jesus speaks, and Christ Himself as fulfillment of prophecy in the Psalm of David  -- all these come by the power, grace, and authority of God, Jesus suggests here . One after the other, they come "in the name of the Lord," and one after another have been questioned as to their authority to speak, and persecuted in turn, as the parable suggests.  Jesus is the beloved Son, who in fact speaks with greater authority, and the consequences of His rejection and death will be much more far reaching for the descendants of these authorities in the temple.  Jesus is, of course, much more than a prophet, but He is a figure about whom many wondered in His own time if He was "the Prophet," a figure prophesied by Moses (see Mark 6:15; Deuteronomy 18:15).  The importance of prophecy and its fulfillment, and most particularly the authority carried by the grace of God the Holy Spirit plays a great part on many layers in today's reading.  This is the authority of Christ the Lord, and is carried by the rest to whom that grace of true prophecy is given, as well as the figures who form the fulfillment of prophecy.  But let us remember that Jesus has also taught that "a prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house," a saying so important that it appears in all four Gospels (Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; John 4:44).   Let us respect the power and grace of God, which works through all things in ways that are surprising, despise the efforts of rejection and manipulation to do otherwise. 

 

 

 

 

Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder

 

 Then He began to tell the people this parable:  "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.  And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.  Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do?  I will send my beloved son.  Probably they will respect him when they see him.'  But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'  So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?  He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others."  And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"  Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:  

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone'?

"Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people -- for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

 

- Luke 20:9-19 

 

On Saturday we read that it happened on one of those days, as Jesus taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things?  Or who is he who gave You this authority?"  But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?"  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."  So they answered that they did not know where it was from.  And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."  

 

  Then He began to tell the people this parable:  "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.  And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.  Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do?  I will send my beloved son.  Probably they will respect him when they see him.'  But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'  So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?  He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others."  And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"  My study Bible explains that, in this parable, the man represents God the Father, and the vineyard refers to God's people.  The vinedressers are the leaders of the Jews entrusted to care for the people.  Each servant sent by the owner stands for an Old Testament prophet who comes to call people back to God, while the beloved son is a reference to Christ Himself.  So, when the Son is cast out of the vineyard to be killed, it is understood on two levels.  First, Jesus was killed outside Jerusalem (Golgotha, the site of Crucifixion, was outside the city gates).  Second, that Jesus was crucified by foreign soldiers, not by those of His own vineyard.  The others who later receive the vineyard are the Gentiles brought into the Church.  

  

Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:  'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone'? Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people -- for they knew He had spoken  this parable against them.  That stone, my study Bible explains, is Christ.  It notes that, according to St. John Chrysostom, this saying illustrates the two ways of destruction.  Those falling on the stone are people who suffer the effects of their own sins while yet in this life, whereas those on whom the stone falls are unrepentant people who become powder in the final judgment.

 

Christ speaks of Himself in today's reading, as "the stone which the builders rejected," and which in turn becomes "the chief cornerstone."   This is a quotation from Psalm 118:22, and He's clearly indicating that He is the fulfillment of this Psalm.  The religious leaders understand this perfectly as His meaning and context, but their response is to seek to lay hands on Him to kill Him.  The only thing that stops them at this point is their fear; they fear the people who delight to hear Christ speak (Luke 19:47-48).  When Jesus says, "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder," He is speaking of Himself as the Judge. When Jesus says, "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father" (Luke 10:22; Matthew 11:27), He is indicating that, upon completion of His mission in this world, of His Crucifixion, death, Resurrection and Ascension, all things in all of creation will be in His hands, and He will have authority over all things -- including Judgment at the end of the age.  So when these men, the chief priests and the scribes, immediately plan to lay hands on Him, they are in effect rejecting His authority over them, rejecting His role as Judge, rejecting Him as the Almighty; see John 5:22-23. What does it profit us to reject Christ as the Judge, to reject His word and teachings for us, even His way for us (John 14:6)?  From the standpoint of this authority to which He will ascend and fulfill, we might as well curse the laws of physics, and reject the fact that we need to breathe because we just don't feel like it.  For a rejection of Christ and His role that He will play is a rejection of the reality of the Lord, of the power of the universe and the spiritual truths behind it and all that we know.  This is what is meant in St. John's Gospel, when we are told, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).  If we reject, we exclude ourselves from that authority and judgment, we exclude ourselves from the life that He has on offer to us.  This is not to say that we are punished, but that we have excluded ourselves from the eternal life He offers.  In the context of our faith, earthly death comes when our human soul is separated from our earthly body.  But true death, spiritual death, happens when our soul is separated from God, the Source of life.  We have no idea and cannot predict what happens when Christ will judge, and we cannot judge one another.  It seems that we cannot even judge ourselves, for we don't know ourselves as Christ knows us.  But we can accept with confidence what Jesus teaches us about His authority, and what he says regarding the stone the builder rejected.  We ourselves can stumble upon that stone in our lives in this world, suffering the effects of our own sins and errors, and learn from that, repent and change in our brokenness and failure.  Or we can carry on heedless and face the stone that that can crush to powder -- spiritual death -- in judgment.  Let us consider this warning of the One who loves us so much He's willing to suffer and die, to suffer judgment of the world, rejection by His own community, and a voluntary, literally excruciating death on the Cross, all so that we can live with Him.  Let us, unlike these men in today's reading, take His warnings seriously, for the life of the world, and our whole lives, depend upon it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone

 

 Then He began to tell the people this parable:  "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.  And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.  Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do?  I will send my beloved son.  Probably they will respect him when they see him.'  But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'  So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?  He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others."  And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"  

 

Then He looked at them and said, "What is this that is written:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone'?

"Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

 

- Luke 20:9–18 

 

Yesterday we read that it happened on one of those days, as Jesus taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things?  Or who is he who gave You this authority?"  But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?"  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet."  So they answered that they did not know where it was from.  And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

 

 Then He began to tell the people this parable:  "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But the vinedressers beat hi and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent another servant; and they beat hi also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.  And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.  Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do?  I will send my beloved son.  Probably they will respect him when they see him.'  But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'  So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?  He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others."  And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"  My study Bible explains this parable as follows:  The man represents God the Father, while the vineyard is a reference to God's people.  The vinedressers are the religious leaders, who are entrusted to care for the people of God.  Each servant who is sent by the owner stands for an Old Testament prophet, who comes to call people back to God.  The beloved son is a reference to Christ Himself.  That the Son is cast out of the vineyard to be killed, has been understood to have a double level of meaning.  First, that Jesus was killed outside of Jerusalem (Golgotha was at that time outside of the city gates).  Second, that He was crucified by foreign soldiers, and not by those of His own "vineyard."  Those others who later receive the vineyard are the Gentiles brought into the Church. 

 

 Then He looked at them and said, "What is this that is written:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'?  Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  That stone ("whoever falls on that stone") is Christ.  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who notes that there are two ways of destruction illustrated here.  Those who fall on the stone are people who suffer the effects of their own sins while they are yet in this life.  Those upon whom the stone falls are the unrepentant, who become powder in the final judgment.  

This image of judgment might be quite startling to think about, especially in light of the phrase "it will grind him to powder."  This is an image of ultimate scattering ("He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" - Matthew 12:30), and to be ground to powder is clearly a kind of scattering that is total.  It seems to speak of a hopeless obliteration of existence.  If we consider the power of God, however, it would remain likely that only the power of God could restore one in such a condition to life, for "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).  At any rate, this is an image of obliteration, complete destruction.  Jesus' image of Himself as the chief cornerstone is taken from Psalm 118:22, from which He quotes.  St. Paul uses this image in his Letter to the Ephesians, when he speaks of believers comprising the building of a holy temple fitting for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit:  "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22). Taking all of these elements together, we're given a picture in which, for those religious leaders to whom Christ speaks, a great upheaval is coming, as He is the stone the builders rejected, which will become the chief cornerstone of a new temple fit for the indwelling of God the Spirit. It's a perspective that includes the loss of the temple they administer, the great holy temple in Jerusalem, which indeed will come in 70 AD at the Siege of Jerusalem.  In Saturday's reading, Jesus wept over Jerusalem, lamenting His rejection and what is to come as a result:  "For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."  Of course, this remains true today; only one retaining wall is left of the temple rebuilt by Herod the Great in which Jesus stood speaking with these religious leaders.  To be subject to judgment is a kind of terrible reckoning; one must consider what it means that repentance is the key to avoiding the fate of those upon whom the stone may fall.  There's a well-known prayer, written by St. Ambrose, which uses the image of a stone as a hardened heart.  It reads, "O Lord, who has mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of your Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore You, a heart to delight in You, to follow and enjoy You, for Christ’s sake.  Amen "   A heart of stone stands in danger of becoming so hardened that any kind of repentance or reconsideration becomes impossible.  Let us rely on the warmth of the fire of the Spirit to kindle in us a heart for God's truth at all time, for the power to change, and the courage to be humble.  

Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it

 

 "Hear another parable.  There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.  And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to him.  Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'  So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"  They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."  

 

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?

"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.  And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.  But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

 

- Matthew 21:33-46 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- where was it from?  From heaven or from men?"  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet."  So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know."  And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.  But what do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.'  He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went.  Then he came to the second and said likewise.  And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?"  They said to Him, "The first."  Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.  For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."

 

  "Hear another parable.  There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.  And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to him.  Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'  So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"  They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."   In this parable, my study Bible explains, the man represents God the Father, and the vineyard refers to God's people.  The vinedressers are the leaders of the Jews who are entrusted to care for the people.  Each servant sent by the owner stands for an Old Testament prophet who comes to call people back to God, while the beloved son refers to Christ Himself.  When the Son is cast out of the vineyard to be killed, this is understood on two levels:  First, that Jesus was killed outside Jerusalem (Golgotha was outside of the city walls); and second, that Jesus was crucified by foreign soldiers and not those of His own vineyard.  The other vinedressers who later lease the vineyard are the Gentiles brought into the Church.  Note that, as in yesterday's reading, above, in answering Christ's question, the elders convict themselves.

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?  Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.  And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.  But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.  Jesus quotes to the religious leaders Psalm 118:22-23.  This stone is Christ.  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who comments that this saying illustrates the two ways of destruction.  Those who fall on the stone are people who suffer the consequences of their sins while yet in this life, whereas those upon whom the stone falls are the unrepentant who suffer utter destruction in the final judgment.  

Again in today's reading we encounter themes that have to do with God's mercy and forbearance, but also with the power of God as it works through our human interactions.  That God is the owner of the vineyard sets the stage for our understanding of our place in the world.  We are in a world that is not of our own making, nor are we even "owners" of this world.  We are, in fact, stewards of this world in the setting of the Bible.  As such, it must be our concern to be good stewards, not only to care for our world, but to care for all that God has created and all that implies; this includes much more than simply a physical material plane of existence, but also the spiritual welfare of all the world.  In this parable, the vineyard is Israel, but clearly it becomes extended out to the Gentiles, to all the world.  The vinedressers are the leaders of the people; in this case, it is specifically directed at the religious leaders in the temple, who are responsible for the leadership of the people on so many levels.  The fruits of the property are spiritual fruits, for which the owner (God) sends his servants -- the prophets who come to call the people back to God.  Finally there is Christ the Son.  But His rejection and killing will set off a different chain of events, and here we have an indication that the mercy of God actually has its limits.  Or perhaps what we should say is that our abuse of God's mercy will have its limits.  Earlier, Jesus has taught, "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men" (Matthew 12:31).  In the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, we're told that there is no such thing as an unforgivable sin -- but it depends upon our own repentance.  In other words, the only unforgivable sin is the one that is not repented.  And so it is with the story of the Wicked Vinedressers.  God's mercy, a time for repentance, extends through all the calls of the prophets sent to remind the vinedressers what they are to be about.  But the failure to understand and accept and be fruitful in their relationship to the owner only deteriorates through their attitude.  They wish simply to own and exploit the vineyard, finally killing the son and heir in that selfish quest.  There is no turning back and no repentance, and the effects of their rejection and selfishness will be the fruits they will bear.  This is something that might be difficult to understand in terms of God's love and mercy, which we consider inexhaustible.  But it is our own rejection that at some point becomes fixed; it is our own internal life that can become corrupted enough through rejection of spiritual truth that we don't turn back but hang on all the more to what is not truth, not reality.  Our world is frequently compared to God's vineyard in support of the idea that it is not simply ours to own and to exploit, but rather ours to care for as good stewards.  This is often used as a metaphor for considering the ecology of the natural world, and issues such as climate change.  But Jesus tells this parable for reasons far beyond the care of the physical being of the natural world.  It is a parable directed at the religious leaders, who know full well what He is talking about.  But it is at the same time a parable for us to take seriously regarding our own spiritual fruits and spiritual lives, the life of the soul, and the heart that does not accept the vineyard owner, and the very nature and substance of who has given us life and whose sustenance makes our lives possible.  So many people have no sense at all of the sacredness of life, the gifts we're given, and pay no attention to the spiritual needs that accompany the fullness of life, the heart and mind and soul that is neglected through a focus on selfishness.  To exploit our world is far more than a question of its physical well-being, but depends very much on our spiritual understanding of life and the righteousness in which we're called to engage and to grow.  Our ancient ancestors, and the literature of the Bible, seem to suggest that we can't separate the physical well-being of ourselves or of our world from our spiritual well-being, and I would agree that this is so.  It is something we need to take seriously and to consider for ourselves.  In the parable, this spiritual vineyard will go on to the care of others who may prove to be fruitful in the ways that the vineyard owner desires; it will be leased to others.  In that aspect, it seems we are to understand the infinite creativity of God; that God is not altogether dependent upon us but will find other creative ways to seek out those who are capable of bearing the fruits of the Spirit.  We don't know the infinite creativity and meanings and intentions of God, so let us take this parable -- and its manifestation in history -- to heart.  Let us take care for ourselves that our "right relationship" to all things begins with our relatedness to God, and that within that embrace is contained the world and every single thing in it.  It is the umbrella of God's love and care that we seek to learn and within which to grow, and to extend that to all of creation.  There is no telling what beauty and truth and goodness can come of such "right relatedness," but we are also warned of the consequences of our failure to understand this mission and the meaning of our lives within the right relationship to God, and that we are invited to dwell in God's kingdom in this world.  Let us begin today to seek Christ's way, for all that we might be in charge of in our lives, for whatever is in our care, be that big things or small ones, for all of it is a gift and all of it precious to its true Owner.  This is especially so of those who come bearing His word and His life into the world to call us all back to Him, and to wake us up to ourselves and our true citizenship in the Kingdom.

 

 

 

 

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes

 "Hear another parable:  There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.  And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.  Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'  So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"  They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:

'The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD's doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes'?

Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.  And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.  But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

- Matthew 21:33-45

In our current readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem and it is the beginning of the Passion week.  We read about His Triumphal Entry and the cleansing of the temple.  Yesterday, we read that when Jesus came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- where was it from?  From heaven or from men?"  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet."  So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know."  And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.  But what do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.'  He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went.  Then he came to the second and said likewise.  And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.  Which if the two did the will of his father?"  They said to Him, "The first."  Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.  For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."

 "Hear another parable:  There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.  And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.  Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'  So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"  They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."   My study bible says here that God the Father is the landowner who planted a vineyard.  The tenant vinedressers are the religious leaders entrusted with the care of God's people.  The landowner's servants are the prophets, sent by God to proclaim His word.  For instead of tending the vineyard, the vinedressers had devoured it.  Although they were obstinate toward His servants, God sent His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom they might honor.  But in their greed and impiety they murdered the Son as well."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?  Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.  And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.  But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.  My study bible tells us that the nation bearing the fruits of the Kingdom is the Church, the new people of God.  For references to Jesus' quotation see both Psalm 118, and also Isaiah 28.

Jesus makes a stand in Jerusalem, first by cleansing the temple,  and then by confronting the leadership even in the style of their own questioning -- which He points back at them (see yesterday's reading).  Here, He goes one step further in today's reading, by initiating the parable of the wicked vinedressers, and the vineyard owner's response to their treatment of his servants and his son.  To tend the vineyard is to be in charge of something, to be entrusted with the care of something, and in this the leadership has clearly failed, according to the parable, because of greed and lust for position:  they want it all for themselves.  They think of this vineyard not as something to tend, but to exploit and to control, and a means by which to steal from others.  It's an important teaching on stewardship:  what it is, and what it isn't.   To tend to the world, which is, after all, a gift of God, to tend to the flock, another gift of God, is to steward, not to own.  This is where the leadership has failed, merely guarding their own position zealously so that what matters is law and rule and custom and not the love of God.  All this zealousness is a mask that disguises hearts that are far away from God's purposes.  That's not to say that rule and custom and the Law are not valuable and important; it's just the use of such for different purposes and ends that tells the story.  Yesterday, the leadership asked Jesus by what authority He cleansed the temple.  The substance of His ministry isn't examined here, isn't looked at.  They can't see the Father or Spirit at work in His ministry and in His "good works" that He's done.  All they focus on is His authority.  By the same token, what's truly good for the flock doesn't appear here to be a motivator, otherwise the good things of this ministry would be appreciated.  What's clearly implied here is that a love of God the Father would prohibit abusive behavior:  in the parable, that means abuse of God's servants, the prophets before Christ who have all suffered, and the Son Himself, whom they will plot to kill, out of greed and envy.  Clearly Jesus is setting up a story, His side of what is happening here, and teaching His awareness of what is in them and what they will do.  He has accepted what He is to face, and is accepting it with all the vigor and truth of His ministry, His Person, and the essence of what He is here for -- to liberate others.  He knows what the outcome will be, what He is facing, but there is not a single moment wasted to teach and to minister to the flock, to express His tremendous authority, and His freedom.  He is in charge of every situation, as He is, indeed, the cornerstone in the psalm, who will also surely turn the tables via Judgment.  Let us remember Jesus' confidence in the love of the Father, God's love that teaches us who we are and to stand in that truth through all things.  It is in the confidence of God's love, so immeasurable that it can't be "earned" or "deserved" that one finds one's way -- and it is precisely this that the wicked vinedressers are missing.  This is the stone the builders rejected, the chief cornerstone of faith, the word that He brings.

The Wicked Vinedressers

"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" They said to him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the LORD's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes'?

"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and give to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whatever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

- Matthew 21:33-46

In yesterday's reading, the chief priests and elders confronted Jesus in the temple. It is the week of His entry into Jerusalem. They wanted to know by what authority He was doing the things He did. They asked Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" Earlier we read of His cleansing of the temple, in which He drove out the animal traders, and overturned the tables of the money changers, ridding the temple of its commercialism. He said, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" In yesterday's reading, the leadership questioned Jesus about His authority. Where does it come from? Who gave Him authority to do the things He's doing? But Jesus' authority doesn't come from a famous rabbi or any worldly authority He can point to in order to "prove" His qualifications. However, He answered them with a question of His own: " The baptism of John -- where was it from? From heaven or from men?" They were afraid to answer, because the crowd all believed John was a holy man. If they said, "From heaven," then they would be asked why they didn't believe John. If they said, "From man," the crowds would be upset with them. So they answered, "We don't know." Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." Then He told a parable: a man had two sons, and he wanted both of them to work in his vineyard. One said, "No," but then later regretted it, changed his mind, and went to work anyway. The other replied that he would do so, but then never went to work. "Which of the two did the will of his father?" asked Jesus. They answered, "The first." Jesus told them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him, and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."

"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?" They said to him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." In yesterday's reading, Jesus also likened God's kingdom to a vineyard. Here, He tells a slightly different story to the leadership. This is about the history of Israel, the people of God. Throughout its history, God has sent prophets, His servants, to the vinedressers. The vinedressers are those who are to be stewards of this kingdom, to produce fruits, and the vintage of those fruits is the covenant, the bond of God and God's people. But the vinedressers or stewards are not doing their proper job. Their loyalty is to themselves, not to the vineyard owner. My study bible says, "Instead of tending to the vineyard, the vinedressers devoured it." Finally, the landowner sends his son - this is Christ, as Son of the Father. But still, even one with this authority commands no respect from the tenants, the vinedressers. They plot only to kill Him, for purely selfish and greedy reasons, so they can take full ownership themselves. We recall Jesus' teachings in recent chapters in Matthew about leadership and service, both connected to authority. In this parable, the vinedressers are exploitative; they want ownership in order to use what does not belong to them their way, to devour the vineyard. They are like wolves in sheep's clothing. The leadership understand this parable perfectly well, although perhaps not yet that it is directed at them. They state correctly that the owner will find better stewards, and take it away from those who have failed to do their jobs properly, to render the fruits that were desired.

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and give to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whatever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." The quotation is once again from Psalm 118 (verses 22-24), a psalm figuring also in Jesus' Triumphal Entry (see verses 25 & 26). Both references are to the Messiah, the savior of Israel. It is His day -- the day of the coming of the Son to the vineyard, and to the vinedressers. Those to whom the kingdom will be taken, He implies, will form His Church, the new people of God. Of course, this is also a statement about Judgment, evoking the context that begins the process of the end of the age, and even His return. Questions of authority become subtly addressed here, suggesting deeper and more meaningful understanding than is obvious or apparent, returning again to their question in yesterday's reading.

Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet. At last their eyes are opened enough to understand that He is directly addressing them -- that His parable is meant to be about them as the vinedressers from whom the vineyard will be taken away. But, as in yesterday's reading, they still fear what the people think. Just as with John the Baptist, the crowds believe Jesus to be a prophet, a holy man. Their work and plotting against Him must be done in a more stealthy way.

Jesus continues His peaceful confrontation in the temple. It's interesting to observe His way of doing this: it is always through truth, through a bold and frank statement of identity. But that statement may also be couched in riddles, or parables, inviting the listener to receive what has been given -- but asking them to perceive with their own capacity, or not. At first the chief priests and elders do not understand what subtlety He is using Himself, even though He is stating sort of in plain sight, in clear hearing, the truth about His identity and His authority. They are slow to understand that He is referring to them, but by the time they do, He has made His point. One wonders about the perspective of the gospel -- clearly the listeners must include the crowds, who perceive what Jesus is aiming for (at least His criticism of the leadership) before those whom He is directly addressing. So, we return to questions of authority, to the temple at Jerusalem, to the shift in power and what is coming, the initiation of a new age which will culminate in Judgment -- which is also, in some ways, the end of all things, when all things are made new, by the person in whom all things are made new. Jesus, as Son of Man, is proclaiming Himself, but in ways that may require us to think, to reflect, to pray and to grow in spiritual understanding. Beyond what we know, He will always draw us into His mysteries and invite us more deeply to follow in faith, and to grow as He opens our eyes to more. Each parable is an initiation into something deeper, for all of us. And we continue to ponder their meanings, in a world going through depth of change and transition today, in which we continue to watch and pray for the fullness of His message, and to follow His Way today. Let us remember that we -- and today's "chief priests and elders" -- are the stewards of this vineyard, and consider for ourselves what it means to be good vinedressers today!